Match-lighting device.



No. 874,682. v PATENTED DEC. 24, 1907.

I 'w. c. JOHNSON 65 w. B.- HURT.

MATCH LIGHTING DEVICE. APPLICATION rum) FEB. 15. 1907;

A TTORNE 1 5 No. 874,682. PATENTED DEC. 24, 1907.

WPU. JOHNSON & W. B. HURT.

' MATCH LIGHTING DEVICE. APPLIOATION rum) r33 15, 1907. V

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WITNESSES: INVENTORQ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALLACE O. JOHNSON, OF IV Y, AND WILLIAM B. HURT, OF STOCKTON, MISSOURI.

MATCH-LIGHTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 24, 1907.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, WALLACE 0. JOHN- SON and WILLIAM B. HURT, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Ivy and Stockton, in the county of Cedar and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Match-Lighting Device, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a mechan ical match lighting device of the type comprising a means for feeding the matches successively in front of a reciprocating plunger which ejects them one at a time over a friction device to produce ignition.

The object of the invention is to provide a device of this character embodying certain improved features which render the construction simple and inexpensive to manufacture and the feed of the matches to their operative position more reliable, and the operation of the machine as a whole improved.

For an understanding of the details of construction and arrangement of the parts and of the features of novelty, reference is to be had to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and to the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates one embodiment of the invention, Figure 1 is a front view of the match lighting device. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan view. Figs. 4 and 5 are perspective views of detail parts of the device. Fig. 6 is a front view, partly in section, of a modified form of the device. Fig. 7 is an edge view of the device illustrated in 6, partly broken away. Fig. 8 is a view in horizontal section on the line 8- 8 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawing 1 represents a supporting structure or frame preferably ma e of sheet metal, which is constructed to form at its upper end a compartment or ho per 2 for the matches. At one side of tl ie hopper is a vertical sliding door 3 which opens for the reception of the matches. Within the hopper as shown in Fig. 2 are downwardly inclined ledges 4 and 5 arranged respectively one above the other and inclined from opposite walls for facilitating the feed of the matches into a chute 6 formed between the front wall of the structure and the depending portion 7 of the lower ledge. On the front side of the depending portion 7 and forming the rear wall of the chute is a vertically movable plate 8 which assists in feeding the path of the plungpr and in the left hand wall of the chute as s own in Figs. 2 and 4 is an opening 13 large enough for receiving and through which one match at a time is advanced by means of the plunger. Located in the path of the advancing match and supported outside of the chute is a yielding igniter 14 that lights the match as the head of the same advances thereunder. This igniter comprises a U-shaped metal strip having its bottom parallel edges provided with serrations that engage the head of the match and produce the igniting friction. This igniter is supported on the frame of the device by a resilient member 15 preferably in the form of a metal strip. Below the igniter is a Wall or abutment 16 which is preferably the o posite end of the arm 12, the purpose 0 the same being to support the match in engagement with the igniter as it advances under the latter. Arranged over the igniter and supported on the abutment is a protecting hood 17.

The plunger is reciprocated by a lever 18 pivoted at the lower end of the supporting frame, and connected to the plunger by means of a link 19. In order to simplify the construction the operating handle or lever 18 serves also to actuate the vertically movable plate 8. For this purpose the lower end of the plate is shaped in the form of a cam, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, with which a lug 20 on the upper end of the lever engages at the time the plunger is actuated in the direction to advance the match to be ignited. Extending rearwardly from the plate 8 and adjacent its bottom is a lug 21 that forms a stop adapted to engage with the link 19, and holds the plate in its elevated position during the period the plunger is moved to and fro. At the time the plunger reaches the limit of its back stroke the lug disengages from the link and permits the plate to fall by gravity to its normal position. The wallin the member 12 through which the body portion of the plate 8 extends is preferably lined with sheet metal so as to prevent wear, and

the plate itself is provided with shoulders 23 at its vertical edges, that engage the top surface of the member 12 to prevent the plate from falling through the slot. Supported at one side of the frame and below the igniter is a receptacle which is adapted to receive the refuse ends of the matches.

The device is adapted to be used as a pendent lighter by supporting it on a cord attached to the eye 22, or to be used in connection with a stationary support or stand. The handle is weighted so that it will automatically assume a vertical position when it is dropped, which position corresponds to the withdrawing position of the plunger so that the device is ready for use again after the handle is dropped by the user.

The operation is as follows: The hopper is first filled with matches which are inserted with their heads presented to the left hand wall thereof to fall by gravity into the chute. The handle 18 is next moved to the right, which operation simultaneously advances the plunger and raises the plate 8. By this operation the match caught in front of the plunger is pushed between the igniter 14 and the abutment 16 and the match ignited.

During this time and while the plunger is withdrawn by the dropping of the handle, the plate 8 is held in its raised position, and about the time the plunger comes to rest the plate is disengaged and drops to normal position drawing down any matches that may be caught in the chute.

Referring now to the modified construction illustrated in Figs. 6, 7 and 8, it will be noticed that the protracted arm 12 and the long plunger 10 with its extended operating link 19 have been dispensed with, and in place of the arm 12 the bottom 25 of the hopper 2 has been extended as brackets 26, 27, a short distance only to the right and left thereof. The bracket 26 receives a short plunger 28 in its retracted position, while the upper face of the bracket 27 serves as the abutment for the opposing surface of the igniter 14.

The bottom 25 of the hopper supports a shelf 29, the upper surface of which inclines downwardly towards the throat or chute 6 in a manner similar to the lower ledge 5 of the former device illustrated in Fig. 2. Within the throat or chute 6 and secured in any de sired manner to the hopper bottom 25 is a horizontal plate 30 which latter serves as a guide bearing for the short match ejecting plunger 28 disposed flatwise against the outer side of said guide plate 30 and provided with horizontal flanges 3l32, sliding on the top and bottom edges of the same. From a downwardly extending lug 33 of the ejecting plunger 38, a link 34 is pivotally connected to the upper end of the handle or lever 18 journaled to the lower part of the frame 1 by means of a horizontally disposed bolt or pin 35. The upper part of the handle 18 has pro jecting therefrom a lug or pin 20 to actuate the vertically movable plate 8 by engaging with the lower cam shaped edge of said plate in the same manner heretofore described.

The door 3 of the hopper in this modification is represented as hinged instead of sliding, it being held closed by a spring catch 36. The same means, however, may be used to suspend or otherwise support this form of de vice and its operation is the same as that previously described.

We claim 1. In a match lighter, the combination of a frame, a hopper carried thereby, a vertically disposed chute, a vertically movable plate therein, a plunger movable in the chute, an igniter, a lever for actuating the plunger, a cam formed 011 the bottom of the plate, and a lug on the lever adapted to engage the cam to raise the plate. I

2. In a match lighter, the combination of a frame, a hopper thereon, a vertically dis posed chute leading from the hopper, a plunger adapted to move in the chute to eject the match therefrom, an igniter arranged in the path of the ejected match, a vertically movable plate in the chute for assisting in the feed of the matches, a cam formed at the edge of the plate, a lever pivoted below the plate, a lug on the lever adapted to engage the cam for raising the plate, a link connecting the lever with the plunger, and a lug on the plate adapted to engage the link for holding the plate in elevated position during the movement of the plunger.

3. In a match lighter, the combination of a frame, a hopper thereon, a vertically disposed chute leading from the hopper, a plunger adapted to move in the chute to eject the match therefrom, an igniter arranged in the path of the ejected match, a vertically movable plate in the chute for assisting in the feed of the matches, a cam formed at the edge of the plate, a weighted lever arranged below the said plate which normally assumes a de pending position, a link connecting the lever with the plunger and arranged to hold the latter in withdrawn position when the lever is depending, and means on the lever for raising the said plate and permitting the same to fall by gravity.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own, we have hereto afiixed our signatures in the presence of two witnesses.

IVALLACE C. JOHNSON. WVILLIAM B. HURT.

Witnesses O. 0. BROWN, J. W. COLLINS. 

